Words of the Week 07

Whenever I read, I keep a pencil handy and I underline words that I don’t know and dog ear the page so that I can go back and look them up in the dictionary. I have always been interested in etymology and even took Latin for three years. I hope that these words can help all of us in our writings. Be sure to check out your dictionary for additional usages of the words and spellings associated with changing the word from adjective to adverb to noun … etc.

ONSLAUGHTnoun

Pronounced: ON-slot

Meaning: An especially fierce attack.

Example: The Britons were unable to withstand the onslaught of the Saxons.

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FERETORYnoun

Pronounced: FAIR-a-tor-ee

Meaning: A place for keeping an ornate coffin for the relics of a saint.

Example: Every two hours, the monks at the shrine of St. Dionysios in Greece perform a prayer service and open the feretory for viewing.

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BREVITYnoun

Pronounced: BREV-it-tee

Meaning: Expression in a few words.

Polonius told Queen Gertrude that “brevity is the soul of wit.”

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HIEROPHANTnoun

Pronounced: HIGH-ro-fant

Meaning: A priest in ancient Greece.

Example: The hierophant portrayed in Tim’s history book was dressed in an animal skin and wore a crown of leaves.

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PEJORATIVEadjective

Pronounced: puh-JOR-a-tiv

Meaning: Having a tendency to make or become worse.

Example: The critic’s pejorative comments angered the entire cast.

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MNESTICadjective

Pronounced: NES-tik

Meaning: Of or relating to memory or the persistent effect of past experience of an individual.

Example: Granny spends much of her time reminiscing and performing other mnestic activities.

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QUELLABLEadjective

Pronounced: KWEL-a-bull

Meaning: Capable of being quieted.

Example: The restless crowd proved quellable at the sight of the entertainer they’d come to see.

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ERADICATEverb

Pronounced: ee-RAD-i-kate

Meaning: To do away with or destroy completely.

Example: Many wheat farmers use aerial sprays to eradicate weeds, diseases and insect pests from their fields.

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VITREOUSadjective

Pronounced: VIT-tree-us

Meaning: Of, relating to, derived from or consisting of glass.

Example: The huge vitreous wall of skyscrapers reflected the mountains and the sunset.

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CHIVALRYnoun

Pronounced: SHIV-al-ree

Meaning: Qualifications or character of the ideal knight according to the romantic tradition of courtesy, gallantry and honor.

Example: To the knights of the Round Table, chivalry was of primary importance.

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LITURGICALadjective

Pronounced: lih-TUR-gick-kal

Meaning: Of, relating to or having the characteristics of ceremonial or ritualistic worship.

Example: The priest donned his liturgical vestments before the mass.

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AFFINITYnoun

Pronounced: uh-FIN-nit-tee

Meaning: Sympathy, especially as marked by community of interest.

Example: Marie felt an affinity with the new chess prodigy, remembering how she had followed Bobby Fischer’s early career many years before.

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JARGONnoun

Pronounced: JAR-gun

Meaning: The technical terminology or characteristic idiom of specialists or workers in a particular activity or area of knowledge.

Example: Anna was sure the computer programmers were speaking English, but their jargon made it impossible for her to understand what they were saying.

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SCOFFLAWnoun

Pronounced: SKOFF-law

Meaning: A contemptuous lawbreaker, especially one who ignores parking tickets.

Example: The scofflaw tore up his ticket in front of the police officer and subsequently fined $500.